A residential septic tank contains, say, somewhere between 500 and 2000 gallons, teeming with bacteria. I've never understood how an occasional cup or two of bleach from the washer could have any long-lasting effect on activity in the tank.

No problem here, I just felt that a discussion of your question wouldn't be complete, if I didn't challenge your initial assumption :-) I've read the same thing about septic tanks and bleach, and it doesn't make sense to me.

I think occasional use of LCB (bleach) would probably be harmless in a septic tank because of the dilution. If it did do harm it would be in disturbing (killing off) the working bacteria that are an essential part of how a septic system functions. It would probably be most harmful right after the system was pumped out and before the colonies had reestablished themselves.

I expect that lots of thing besides bleach would also disturb the little bugs, too. Even relatively "benign" things like changing the pH by pouring down too much acid or bases. Let's say you went in for home-pickling in a big way and dumped lots of extra vinegar from your crocks down your sink drain; or say you really believed that all those boxes of Arm & Hammer left over from your freezers should all be dumped down your drains in one day. Or you flushed all your unused antibiotics down. Or decided to go on a health kick and emptied your pantry of all the soda pop you had. Or cleaned out your stash of cleaning chemicals by dumping the odds and ends down the drain.

I live with a septic system (and not a modern, truly efficient one, either) and I never pour anything except waste water down down my drains (no milk, cooking liquids, fats, oils, etc.). I don't have a disposal. I would never wash paint brushes, or let solvents of any kind go down.

One thing that for sure is a problem with septics is just too much detergent, of almost any kind, I believe. And possibly real cheapo, powdered detergents with lots of heavy fillers could be a problem. BUt even with those, I doubt you'd ruin a healthy system, just stress it.

I only use a main-stream brand powdered detergentin quite stingy dosages, with minimal reliance on other laundry chemicals. But I don't hesitate to use LCB on the rare occasions I need it. Once I stopped putting 55 gallons of water per load down my system by switching to my FLS, my septic and I have been in happy harmony. And believe me, the key to contented country life is a happy septic system!

I was just wondering how people with chlorinated water co-exist with septic systems, but then I guess if you have public water, you probably also have public sewage facilities.

Are you also asking how septic systems work?

Molly~

This is a good discussion. I have a 750 gallon septic at my cabin that my toilet, sink and shower are attached to, I don't have laundry there. My kitchen sink, however, is a homemade system with a 55 gallon drum...and no, there is absolutely no way to send it to my septic tank, not enough pitch. Our 'new' septic was put in in 1980. The 'old' system was put in in 1948.

Anyway, I don't use any bleach or anti-bacterials. I buy a 'septic grade' yeast, which is not 'food grade' yeast. The recommended amount of yeast is 1 Tablespoon per month for every 1000 gallons. I use the full Tablespoon for the septic and 1 teaspoon per month down my kitchen sink. I just try to be cautious about adding bases/acids...and I do not use products containing phosphates because we are on a lake. On the recommendation of our 'honey pot' guy, we have copper rods in our septic tank and kitchen basin since we have so many trees...it apparently helps keep the roots out. I don't have a garbage disposal and we don't put any food down the drain, especially green stuff.

I do add washing soda and borax along with dish soap when I wash dishes. My water is very hard and this helps clean and rinse spot free. But, I add approx. 1/4 teaspoon of each to a sinkfull of dishes. I've not had any problems using those 2 products down the kitchen sink.

bookert, we have a septic tank. I use chlorine bleach infrequently; I only use it when I wash grungy white clothes like t-shirts, socks, and underwear - and I use it on white towels and wash/dishcloths, too. I don't use it for any other type laundry.

Because I have an HE washer (toploader), I don't have to use as much as I used in my traditional washer, and I also learned I could cut the amount in half when I use an equal amount of baking soda, because baking soda doubles the whitening properties of chlorine bleach.

So now I use 1/2 c. baking soda (I put it in the washer before I add the laundry) and 1/2 c. bleach in its dispenser. This is for a load of laundry at least double the size I could wash before, as my washer has a capacity of 4.6 cu ft and no agitator.

A plumber told me that the worst thing for a septic tank is dishwashing detergent (it contains bleach and phospates, too), so I am careful to only run my d/w when I have a full load. When I do run it, I use the 'water miser' cycle which uses much less water than the normal wash cycle.

So far, we've had no problem with our septic tank. I really think the HE washer is a BIG help in this regard.

housekeeping,
Good info, and yes, in reality I am curious as to how septic systems work! =)

sspye,
I use food grade yeast for treating, didn't know there was septic grade yeast out there! Where do you buy it?

mara 2008,
I, too, have a HE TL w/out agitator, so I'm right w/you, except I didn't know you could put baking soda in the drum when using LCB! I don't use LCB, but since the b.s. doubles it's potency it's good info for those who use it!
Interesting fact about the dishwasher detergent. I've tried using the Earth Friendly liquid w/lavendar scent and am sad to say it smelled wonderful, but did nothing in the way of cleaning. =(
Went back to using Electrosol tabs that IMO are great!

Question: Why is the area where the leach lines extend so green with plant growth??? We put in a system 4 yrs. ago that way exceeds our needs, just in case, turns out it was good since our teen is taking 2-3 30-40 min. showers per day!! Better clean than stinky! =)

Thanks to all!
Blessings.

Re: Septic Grade yeast. I buy it at a local feed store. 1lb. for $1.00

...and excessive green around your leach lines is not good! It should look just like the rest of your property. Have you had your septic pumped?

bookert, you are a more lenient parent than I. I have three teens, and they are not allowed to take more than one shower a day unless it's necessary. And when they do take showers, they aren't allowed to run the water that long. I don't, either. :-)

I use Electrasol tabs in the dishwasher. I used to use Cascade, but the Electrasol costs less (plus, I find good coupons on it in our Sunday paper inserts), yet it cleans just as well. And I like it that the Jet-Dry is in them.

sspye,
I'll ck out the local feed stores, thanks!

I had to laugh about you saying the growth should be the same as the rest of my property, I live in the dirt! =) Natural weed growth, natural brush etc.... Very green on top of leech lines, kinda good looking stuff compared to the weeds!
No, we haven't had our system pumped. How often do you have to have it done? (yeah may sound dumb, but I honestly don't know) What does it cost and how do they get to it? I ask because once it rains aint nobody gonna get to it or they'll be stuck until Spring! =)
We do have a cleanout pipe (is that what it's called?) up top next to our house. It's sealed. No problems with back-up or smells to date.

mara 2008,
Yes, I'm pretty good about most things when it comes to cleanliness. I have to change bedding once a week compared to twice or more depending on the smell of his room! =)
I am pretty frugal otherwise and we don't take baths due to my son being way too tall for the tub for one! Master doesn't have a tub, we opted for a larger shower! (I say this cuz I'm pretty sure showers use less water and we do use low flow shower heads).
Bathing is our luxury so it's a given here. Our a/c went out this past week as well so a cool shower is like hitting the Lotto! =)
I'm with you on the tabs, Costco has specials on the large canister a few times per year so I stock up then. Never any issues using them and I have a mid to lower end dishwasher.
( I want a Energy Star unit so bad!)

Happy washing!

Not all dishwasher detergents contain bleach and phosphates. I use the Great Value (WalMart) brand because it does not contain bleach or lemon since I use it as a laundry additive. I believe it may contain phosphates, but many do not.

We have our septic pumped every 3-4 years. But, seriously, the grass should not be greener over your leach lines - that's not a good sign.

We have a septic lid that is made of concrete with a metal handle imbedded in it. A 'honey pot' guy should be able to find your lid with a metal detector if it's not at ground level. My husband made a wooden box that goes over ours. I put a plant there in the summer. But my teenage nieces and nephews use it as a seat because it is private and out of the way. It's funny, I haven't told them that it covers the septic lid. Would probably gross them out...LOL

bookert, our teen daughter is the only person in this family who takes baths (the rest of our dc are sons). But she mostly takes showers, simply because she rarely has time to take a luxurious bath. She does that about once a week. The rest of us take short showers.

The warehouse store I like best is BJ's, and they often have BOGO specials on the Electrasol tabs, which of course is a terrific bargain. I really like it that BJ's accept manufacturers' coupons, plus they send out coupon booklets too, so I save a lot of money there. This past Sunday coupon inserts have a $2.25 off coupon for Electrasol, which is a good deal as they're inexpensive anyway.

Our septic tank used to have really thick, green grass over it. But after we got it pumped the last time, that part of the lawn looks the same as the rest.

I got a kick out of what you said about your wooden box and your kids. Our guys probably wouldn't care, but the gal? Oh yes, she would think that was gross. ;-)

All safe for septic systems

All HE except for the box

Sears Laundry Detergent

I have a septic field and two tanks. I haven't changed anything about how I do laundry or the products I use. I never was the kind to flush coffee grounds or pour grease down the drain, or paints, or use the disposal much at all.

Pump it once per year, have the filters cleaned twice per year. System is 10 years old. Never a problem.

dgmarie, where is the filter? and how do they change it? Not sure if I have such a thing.

Good info,
Please give me an approx. cost for pumping so I'll have an idea when I call around.

I don't put anything questionable down the drains either so I'm good there.
I am very good about conserving water in all areas except showering, so maybe it's a wash. (no pun intended!)

I can see the area where the leech lines are since it's a definite line of greenery! =)
I don't believe we have filter screens.
I had to arrange to have a water truck come to fill our tank initially before getting the inspector out for approval and there were no screens visible. There was just a concrete lid we had to twist and move in order to fill.
Is this where the pump needs to go? I thought the leech cleanout pipe (black pvc) was the one they use when doing the pump??? Please advise, I'm obviously not in the game here! =)
BTW, I feel this is laundry related, so please forgive me for posting about septic tanks here! =)

Looking forward to knowing the pumping costs I should expect.

Thanks!

Booker T,

How old do you think your system might be? I ask because it might be possible that the plans for your system are still on file with whatever agency might have issued the permit for installation. This would help you understand what to look for. It's worth a shot, anyhow.

Although I agree that changes in vegetation appearance over parts of a septic may indicate a problem; it may also be benign if it is only the result of localized increases in soil moisture alone and only appear directly over the pipelines in the leach field on the far side of the tank. After all, the leach field lines are intended to disharge fluid into the soil. If your surrounding earth is particularly well-drained, or droughty, and you are having a dry season, then the greeness may be attributable solely to that and nothing to do with a problem. The greeness may simply be visible because the area directly over the pipes is actually being better irrigated.

Have you lived with the system for more than a year so you can tell whether this is unusual?

The other reason(s) for increased greenness over any part of the system has to do with seepage of nitrogen (and possibly low levels of phosporous) from poorly, incompletely or leaking waste water. (You know cow manure adds nitrogen to the soil, and so does night soil, i.e. human waste.) This is the sort of thing that should be looked into.

Do you have a mound system in which the leach field is installed in large raised berm or is the whole thing generally on the same level as the surrounding soil? Mound systems are often more finicky, but have the advantage of being modern, and generally are designed with built-in expansion space in case of failure. (OTOH, no one installs a mound system unless the soil is already pretty unsuitable for septics.)

Around here (northern NY) we pay a few hundred dollars ($300-500) to have the septic (or what passes for that at my farm) pumped. We do that on intervals a short as 1 year to as long as 3 or 4 years. We can tell when it needs to be done because our drains gurgle. Our system is very primitive and old, so that would not apply to a more modern system. Need for pumping depends on use, size of tank, design of system and surrounding soil conditions, and also amount of precipitation or any localized flooding that happens to occur.

HTH,

Molly

Molly,
I'd love to spend a few days with you listening to your vast knowledge bank you seem to be blessed with! =)

You are spot on regarding the area of green growth. Entirely on the leech lines. We have the long (500 ft. I think) tubes that have the holes in them for our lines. System is 4yrs. old this past July. We put in 2x as much leech due to our older perk test on file and not wanting to spend the extra $ to redo the whole thing. Our county is notorious for dragging you thru the mud and back just because. So we are way over kill with our system. To be honest we're glad we did it that way. Peace of mind I suppose.
This is only evident due to it being summer. In winter the area is well saturated (no one can drive on that part of the property as it sits below our house quite a ways) and everything is green and muddy then.
Our drains do not gurgle or smell. No backups of water or slow moving drains. I use the baking soda/vinegar mix to de gunk the hair from the drains on a regular basis.
I'm in So.Cal and we have had no rain the entire summer lest a few sprinkles.
Thanks for the great info, I feel so much better as I was praying there wasn't a big issue! Our a/c went out and we decided to sweat it out for now, so the septic pumping will have to wait another few months too.

Hope this wonderful info Molly provided helps others who might be unschooled on the septic thing!
Blessings,
Booker T

I think there may be some differences in the septic info depending where you live. In Alaska at least, it is recommended you have your tank pumped annually. I think it cost about $150 when we had it done. This advice will vary depending on the size of your tank and the number of people in the house.
I thought we were pretty good caretakers of our septic system. We had the tank pumped before putting our house on the market, and the septic guy happened to be a client of mine (I hadn't realized he changed jobs until he showed up at my house). Anyway, I sat on the back deck chatting with him while he worked (ok, maybe not the most pleasant social time, but informative). He had to backflush the tank 2 or 3 times. There was a thick scum layer on top (that's not good) and from then on, we added a bacteria product called Bio-Clean I think. He told me he saw a noticeable difference when people used it. He didn't own the business or anything, and he was one of the nicest clients I had.

If you don't pump the tank often enough, solids will flow over the baffle inside the tank (why the thick scum layer isn't good) and head out to the leach field. You don't want the solids to get out there, as they will plug up the leach field. Lots cheaper to pay for the pumping more often than to replace the leach field!!

Again, check with the people in your area who are in the business. Talk to more than one company. You can also talk to the people in the permit office, or with the county(?) water quality or wastewater dept. They may be able to advise you as well. Check your state or local government websites, there may be septic info there.

Bleach, antiseptics, antibacterial all not so good. I attached the link to the company that did our pumping when we lived there. It's their FAQ page. If you click on the Bioclean tab at the top, toward the bottom of that page there's a link to a pdf file about household product to use or avoid. It's not all-inclusive, but it's a good reference.

Hope this helps!

Here is a link that might be useful: Septic company website

My septic leach field is irreplaceable...if it fails, I'll have to connect to sewer. I asked a good septic guy how I could prolong its life, and he said a tank output filter is the single easiest and most effective measure. To check mine, I remove the cover over the outlet end of the tank, and lie down on the ground and reach down to pull the filter straight up and out. Bang it against the side of the tank to dislodge the trapped solids, and put it back in place. The solids in the filter would otherwise have ended up in the leach field. I've seen it maybe half full after six months.